At this point, it’s fair to wonder if the Chicago Bears will feature predominantly orange in their uniforms next season. Jason George joins a host of former Broncos’ employees reuniting with coach John Fox in Chicago.

Broncos quarterbacks John Elway, left, and Gary Kubiak enjoy a laugh during a team picture in 1988. (Denver Post file)

Gary Kubiak and the Mile High City go way back.

How far back? We’re talking early ’80s, when Kubiak was Elway’s backup with the Broncos from 1983-91. After his playing days, Kubiak went on to become the Broncos’ quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator, from 1995-2005. And two of Kubiak’s sons, Klint and Klay, both played at Colorado State.

Kubiak told The Baltimore Sun before the job became available that he intended to stay with the Ravens, but now? Well, a return to Denver, where he spent more than two decades as a player and coach, could be on the horizon.

So this week we’re dedicating Throwback Thursday to Kubiak, regardless of what happens with the Broncos’ coaching search. There are too many gems in the Post’s archives to save for ourselves. Enjoy! Read more…

The Broncos’ defense run back an interception during a Dec. 24, 1977 divisional playoff victory over the Steelers. (Ernie Leyba, The Denver Post)

The Broncos’ third-best defense in the NFL will have to move aside Sunday. Just for a while.

Several members of the Broncos’ legendary 1977 Orange Crush defense will be honored during halftime of Sunday’s AFC divisional playoff game against the Colts at Sports Authority Field at Mile High, the team announced Wednesday.

A tribute will acknowledge the players and coaches in attendance and recap the famed ’77 season, when the Broncos, led by its defense, reached its first postseason and Super Bowl berth.

During a recent Philadelphia reprise run, Bill Musgrave, the Philadelphia Eagles’ quarterbacks coach, attended a performance and introduced himself to Boryla. That was especially notable here because Musgrave, from Grand Junction and eventually a Broncos backup quarterback in 1995-96, was a Denver Post Gold Helmet winner in 1985.

Saturday will be the first Colorado performance of Boryla’s play, which deals with life and football, especially life in the NFL. Concussions, which forced Boryla out of the game, are a key issue.

Broncos coach John Ralston, left, shares some of his plays with Don Coryell in 1975. (Millard Smith, The Denver Post)

Those were the days. In May 1975, then Broncos coach John Ralston and Cardinals coach Don Coryell shared some of their coaching techniques in an “information exchange” at Bronco headquarters. Both coaches and their staffs participated in the clinic, in which they exchanged coaching philosophies and plays.

The session didn’t do much for the Broncos that season, however. They finished second in the AFC West with a 6-8 record and failed to make the playoffs once again.

Denver Broncos running back Terrell Davis controls the ball against Oakland Raiders defense in the first quarter at Denver on Jan. 2, 2002. (Hyoung Chang, The Denver Post)

The story goes that the last time the Broncos won the Super Bowl John Elway was quarterback. Terrell Davis also started at running back. Elway never won the big game without Davis. And the Broncos haven’t won since both retired.

As you can imagine, Davis, a Hall of Fame finalist, loves the Broncos’ reconfigured offense. From the NFL Network studios, he watches with interest as Denver makes a playoff push with undrafted bruiser C.J. Anderson complementing Peyton Manning.

“I am biased. But I love it. You need to run. We all know that Peyton is really good. But sometimes during games, he goes through a stretch where he needs help,” Davis said last week. “What better way to settle things down at home or on the road than to run the ball. It’s the perfect medicine.”

Ron Dayne runs the ball 55 yards to set up the game-winning field goal in overtime against the Cowboys on Nov. 24, 2005. (Hyoung Chang, The Denver Post)

Thanksgiving, 2005. That was Ron Dayne’s day.

The former Heisman winner failed to live up to expectations in the pros, but on Nov. 24 in his lone year with the Broncos, Dayne was the star. The running back out of Wisconsin ran 55 yards in overtime against the Cowboys in Texas to set up a 24-yard field goal by Jason Elam to give Denver the 24-21 victory.

Dayne, who was filling in for the injured Tatum Bell, won the All-Iron Award, given to the MVP of Thanksgiving Day, for his 98-yard, one-touchdown performance against Dallas. Read more…

Eric Decker spent four years in Denver — two with Peyton Manning as his quarterback — and quickly became one of the team’s most beloved players. In all, he recorded 3,071 yards from scrimmage with 33 receiving touchdowns as a Bronco before signing with the Jets as a free agent this past summer.

In his place, the Broncos signed former Steeler Emmanuel Sanders, who has since thrived as one of Manning’s top targets, averaging career highs in yards per reception (14.2), receptions per game (6.7) and touchdowns (7).

The Broncos may be struggling as of late, but the Jets are 2-8 and have been riddled with injuries, quarterback issues and, as usual, a slew of negative headlines this season.

I don’t know if Domonique Foxworth was the smartest Broncos player of all time, but he had to have been among the most educated and worldly ambitious.

A former Broncos cornerback who wound up making millions with the Baltimore Ravens, Foxworth became president of the NFL players union during a key time of labor strife, resigned to pick up his Masters of Business Administration at Harvard Business School — Harvard, people! — and starting in January will cross over to the NBA and serve on the basketball players’ union board as chief operating officer.

The move to the NBA is unusual but hardly a leap for a guy like Foxworth, who needed just 3 1/2 years to earn two degrees while playing football at the University of Maryland. He was one of the Broncos’ three, third-round draft picks in 2005 — behind second-round draft pick Darrent Williams and Karl Paymah and ahead of Maurice Clarett — and had a terrific rookie year, starting seven games and playing the nickel in several others.Read more…

Bailey, 36, who played 15 seasons in the NFL and spent 10 of them with the Broncos, and is widely regarded as one of the best cornerbacks to play the game. Over his career, he recorded 52 interceptions and 699 total tackles. But his play had waned in recent years, and a foot injury kept him off the field for a couple games in the preseason before he was released by the Saints in August.

After news broke of Bailey’s retirement, many current and former players, as well as others associated with the NFL, weighed in on his legacy.

Broncos defensive back Charles Greer, far right, weaves around San Diego lineman Pete Lazetich to return a 65-yard punt for a touchdown just before halftime against the Chargers on Dec. 10, 1972 at Mile High Stadium. The touchdown gave the Broncos a 17-point lead at the half en route to a 38-13 Denver win.

The Broncos finished third in the AFC West that season with a 5-9 record under coach John Ralston.

After breaking Brett Favre’s 4-year-old record, NFL legends and current players — Favre included — congratulated the Broncos’ quarterback on his feat, while many others expressed their awe via Twitter. To wit:

BRETT FAVRE
“I want to say congratulations for breaking the touchdown record — I’m not surprised. You’ve been a wonderful player and I’ve enjoyed watching you play, I’ve enjoyed competing against you. I wish you a great success for the rest of the season and the rest of your career. But again, congratulations.”

FRAN TARKENTON
“Well Peyton, it’s official. Your ducks have crossed the end zone more than anybody else’s. But really, congratulations, nobody has ever played the quarterback position better than you have. It’s been a pleasure to sit back every Sunday and watch you play. People love to debate, ‘Who is the greatest quarterback, the greatest player?’ It’s impossible to compare across all the generations and eras. But I know this, nobody can ever leave Peyton Manning out of that discussion about who is the greatest quarterback. Congratulations, Peyton.”

Jerry Sturm lounges with the ladies while Scotty Glacken watches with envy. (The Denver Post fiel)

Jerry Sturm, a center for the Broncos from 1961-66, had the pleasure of posing with the harem girls of the Central City Opera Festival’s production of “The Italian Girl in Algiers” in 1966 while rookie quarterback Scotty Glacken could only watch with envy. Team photo shoots seemed so much more exciting in the ’60s.

There were the expected questions: Could Sanders’ numbers ever come close to Decker’s? Could he be a viable replacement for Denver’s beloved receiver?

Although four games is a small sample size, Sanders has already soared to near the top of the receiving charts. In his first four games as a Bronco, he’s recorded 32 receptions for 435 yards (No. 6 in the NFL), while turning in three consecutive 100-yard receiving games to tie a franchise record.

Former Broncos kicker Matt Prater addressed the media after news broke of his four-game suspension this season. (John Leyba, The Denver Post)

Former Broncos kicker Matt Prater will fly out Monday afternoon to Detroit, where he and other kickers will work out for a Lions’ team that desperately needs a reliable kicker.

The Lions are just 4-of-12 in field goals this season. including 1-of-9 from 40 yards-plus. Alex Henery, who kicked for Philadelphia last year but was cut prior to the season, missed all three of his field-goal attempts Sunday in Detroit’s 17-14 loss to Buffalo.

Prater was 25-of-26 in field-goal attempts for the Broncos last year and is the NFL’s all-time leading kicker from beyond 50 yards, where he’s made 21-of-27 in his career. Prater, 30, was released by the Broncos on Friday as he neared the end of his four-game suspension for an alcohol-related violation.

At least four other teams have expressed interest in Prater but the Lions have the first chance to sign him.

Brandon Marshall, now with the Bears, spent four seasons as a Broncos receiver. (ChicagoBears.com)

Brandon Marshall the wide receiver (not the linebacker) was drafted by the Broncos in the fourth round of the 2006 draft out of Central Florida. He spent four seasons as a Bronco, breaking tackles and NFL records with ease before being traded to Miami in 2010.

In his four years in the Mile High City, he had 327 career receptions for 4,019 yards and 25 touchdowns. Over his eight-year career, he has 9,287 yards from scrimmage with 61 touchdowns, five Pro-Bowls selections and the NFL record for most catches in a single game (21), among many others.

But he also has a lengthy rap sheet. By March of 2008, he had been arrested three times since being drafted — first for domestic violence (charges were later dropped), then for driving under the influence, and then again for domestic violence. The NFL suspended him three games for his off-field issues, but they were later reduced to one game on appeal.

According to a June 2008 report by The Denver Post, however, those incidents were just a few on a lengthy list of incidents. In the span of two years, police had written 12 reports on eight separate incidents in three states that detailed the volatile relationship of Marshall and his former girlfriend, Rasheedah Watley. Watley was also accused of abuse in the relationship.

A year later, in March of 2009, he was arrested in Atlanta for disorderly conduct after a fight with his then-fiancee. He was released on bond and the charges were dropped the next day.Read more…

Former Denver Broncos wide receiver Rod Smith is named as the 23rd member to the Broncos Ring of Fame during half time of the Broncos game against the Houston Texans at Sports Authority Field at Mile High in Denver on Sunday, Sept. 23, 2012. (John Leyba, The Denver Post)

The Pro Football Hall of Fame announced its preliminary list of 99 players and 14 coaches as modern-era candidates for its class of 2015.

The Broncos are well represented with eight players and coach Dan Reeves. The eight Bronco players: Receiver Rod Smith, running back Terrell Davis, center Tom Nalen, guard Mark Schlereth, linebacker Karl Mecklenburg, safeties Steve Atwater and John Lynch, and kicker Jason Elam, who is eligible for the first time.

Also making the cut of 99 players are offensive tackle Tony Boselli, who played at Boulder Fairview High School, and Chris Hinton, who was drafted by the Broncos with the No. 4 overall pick in 1983 but was quickly dealt to the Baltimore Colts as part of a deal that delivered quarterback John Elway to Denver.

Mike Klis has been with The Denver Post since 1998, after working 13 years with the Colorado Springs Gazette Telegraph. Major League Baseball was Klis' initial passion. He started covering the Colorado Rockies after Coors Field was approved for construction in August 1990.

Nicki Jhabvala is the Sports Digital News Editor for The Denver Post. Before arriving in Denver, she spent five years at Sports Illustrated working primarily as its online NBA editor, and she was most recently the overnight home page editor at the New York Times. She has reported regularly on the Broncos since joining the staff.

A published author and award-winning journalist, Benjamin Hochman is a sports columnist for The Denver Post. He previously worked on the staff of the New Orleans Times-Picayune, winners of two Pulitzer Prizes for their Hurricane Katrina coverage.